Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Private Coaching for?
Private coaching is open to rugby players of all ages, abilities and experience.
Why might I want to consider Private Coaching?
All of my clients come with lots of different reasons. The underlying factor is a love for the game and a desire to improve their performance, confidence and understanding so that they can get even more from it. See my client profiles for some examples of the different players I work with.
Rugby is a team sport, how can 1-2-1 coaching help?
Your on-pitch interaction with your teammates and the opposition is a pivotal part of rugby, however there are many areas of your own performance that you can improve. Whether it is position-specific skills like box kicking, general skills like passing and tackling or rugby-specific fitness and speed, all can be worked upon.
Where do the sessions take place?
I am based in West London and usually coach near Pitshanger (between Ealing Broadway and Greenford), however I travel to the majority of sessions according to where the client is based. We can use rugby pitches, playing fields, parks or even a garden for the sessions.
I have regularly done private rugby coaching in the following locations and am happy to travel to new areas:
London (Ealing, Hanwell, Chertsey, Harrow, Enfield, Hampstead, Greenwich, South Kensington, Hyde Park, Barnes, Richmond, Wimbledon, Chiswick, Isleworth, Battersea, Clapham, Dulwich, Shepherd's Bush, Teddington)
Surrey (Cheam, Guildford, Sutton, Dorking, Reigate, Farnham)
Sussex (Haywards Heath, Brighton)
Buckinghamshire (Gerrards Cross, Chalfont St Peter, Chesham, Amersham, Milton Keynes)
Berkshire (Windsor, Reading, Maidenhead)
Hertfordshire (St Albans, Hitchin, Newbury, Letchworth, Hemel Hempstead)
Somerset (Bath, Bristol)
Oxfordshire (Oxford, Faringdon, Woodstock)
How long are the sessions?
The sessions are usually an hour long, however they can be longer if sessions are ongoing but infrequent or if there is a long journey.
What normally happens in a session?
This varies according to what the client wants to work on. They usually focus on developmental games, technical coaching and skills-circuits. Sessions can be less technical and more focused on rugby-specific fitness and/or speed work too if required.
I want to focus on one or two specific things, is that ok?
Of course! Whether technical or physical, rugby can be broken down into many different areas. If you only wanted to focus on tackling and speed work, for example, then that's what we can work on.
How much does a session cost?
The price may vary somewhat according to location, purely so as to cover fuel costs. I am transparent about this and use journeyprice.co.uk to work out what this would be. The baseline cost for a session is £45.
Do you offer any price discounts?
I can offer discounts on block bookings of 6 sessions or more.
When do sessions take place?
Whenever is convenient for us both. I have a number of coaching commitments, however I have slots available for private coaching throughout the week and weekend during the day and evening.
What do I do if I need to cancel a session?
Just call/text/email me ASAP once you know you are unable to make the session. I know that, from time-to-time, things come up that can require a late notice cancellation.
I am considering Private Coaching for my son/daughter, is it bad to focus too much on Rugby at a young age?
Generally speaking, I wouldn't recommend young athletes specialise in one sport too young and my focus wouldn't be to necessarily coach young players with a view toward elite rugby alone. Rather, I try to assist players in improving their skills and understanding so that they can improve and enjoy the game. Everyone is different and develop at varying rates. It is important that extra coaching and training fit in sensibly with other sporting and academic commitments rather than dominate them. We don't want our young players to burn out or resent the game!
Do we need our own equipment?
I have all the equipment that I will use during the sessions and will bring it with me. Just bring the kit that you would normally take to rugby training.
Do you have a DBS certificate?
I have a current, clear DBS certificate.
How many clients have you worked with?
I do not know the exact number, but I have been offering Private Coaching since 2012 and have worked with upwards of 100 players in this time, whether for one session or on a more ongoing basis.
Can you guarantee that I will achieve my goal?
I guess this depends on what your goal is! I am confident that I will be able to work with you to see a visible improvement towards realistic goals.
Can you help with my conditioning and nutrition?
I can offer advice, and certainly coach a lot of rugby-specific fitness. I am a qualified REPS Level 3 fitness coach, however I know my limitations and for those who want full nutrition or strength and conditioning support, I can recommend high quality coaches who would be able to help you.
Would you come to watch the player in action for their club/school/county etc to judge their progress?
If I can make it work with my schedule then it can be really useful to see the player in a competitive game-environment. I have done this on numerous occasions before. Depending on the location, I may just ask for you to cover my travel expenses.
I haven't decided yet, but would like more information - what can I do?
There is no pressure to decide, nor does there have to be a long-term commitment. Feel free to email or call me to talk through what you are looking for and we could set up an introductory session to see if it is something you'd wish to proceed with.
Private coaching is open to rugby players of all ages, abilities and experience.
Why might I want to consider Private Coaching?
All of my clients come with lots of different reasons. The underlying factor is a love for the game and a desire to improve their performance, confidence and understanding so that they can get even more from it. See my client profiles for some examples of the different players I work with.
Rugby is a team sport, how can 1-2-1 coaching help?
Your on-pitch interaction with your teammates and the opposition is a pivotal part of rugby, however there are many areas of your own performance that you can improve. Whether it is position-specific skills like box kicking, general skills like passing and tackling or rugby-specific fitness and speed, all can be worked upon.
Where do the sessions take place?
I am based in West London and usually coach near Pitshanger (between Ealing Broadway and Greenford), however I travel to the majority of sessions according to where the client is based. We can use rugby pitches, playing fields, parks or even a garden for the sessions.
I have regularly done private rugby coaching in the following locations and am happy to travel to new areas:
London (Ealing, Hanwell, Chertsey, Harrow, Enfield, Hampstead, Greenwich, South Kensington, Hyde Park, Barnes, Richmond, Wimbledon, Chiswick, Isleworth, Battersea, Clapham, Dulwich, Shepherd's Bush, Teddington)
Surrey (Cheam, Guildford, Sutton, Dorking, Reigate, Farnham)
Sussex (Haywards Heath, Brighton)
Buckinghamshire (Gerrards Cross, Chalfont St Peter, Chesham, Amersham, Milton Keynes)
Berkshire (Windsor, Reading, Maidenhead)
Hertfordshire (St Albans, Hitchin, Newbury, Letchworth, Hemel Hempstead)
Somerset (Bath, Bristol)
Oxfordshire (Oxford, Faringdon, Woodstock)
How long are the sessions?
The sessions are usually an hour long, however they can be longer if sessions are ongoing but infrequent or if there is a long journey.
What normally happens in a session?
This varies according to what the client wants to work on. They usually focus on developmental games, technical coaching and skills-circuits. Sessions can be less technical and more focused on rugby-specific fitness and/or speed work too if required.
I want to focus on one or two specific things, is that ok?
Of course! Whether technical or physical, rugby can be broken down into many different areas. If you only wanted to focus on tackling and speed work, for example, then that's what we can work on.
How much does a session cost?
The price may vary somewhat according to location, purely so as to cover fuel costs. I am transparent about this and use journeyprice.co.uk to work out what this would be. The baseline cost for a session is £45.
Do you offer any price discounts?
I can offer discounts on block bookings of 6 sessions or more.
When do sessions take place?
Whenever is convenient for us both. I have a number of coaching commitments, however I have slots available for private coaching throughout the week and weekend during the day and evening.
What do I do if I need to cancel a session?
Just call/text/email me ASAP once you know you are unable to make the session. I know that, from time-to-time, things come up that can require a late notice cancellation.
I am considering Private Coaching for my son/daughter, is it bad to focus too much on Rugby at a young age?
Generally speaking, I wouldn't recommend young athletes specialise in one sport too young and my focus wouldn't be to necessarily coach young players with a view toward elite rugby alone. Rather, I try to assist players in improving their skills and understanding so that they can improve and enjoy the game. Everyone is different and develop at varying rates. It is important that extra coaching and training fit in sensibly with other sporting and academic commitments rather than dominate them. We don't want our young players to burn out or resent the game!
Do we need our own equipment?
I have all the equipment that I will use during the sessions and will bring it with me. Just bring the kit that you would normally take to rugby training.
Do you have a DBS certificate?
I have a current, clear DBS certificate.
How many clients have you worked with?
I do not know the exact number, but I have been offering Private Coaching since 2012 and have worked with upwards of 100 players in this time, whether for one session or on a more ongoing basis.
Can you guarantee that I will achieve my goal?
I guess this depends on what your goal is! I am confident that I will be able to work with you to see a visible improvement towards realistic goals.
Can you help with my conditioning and nutrition?
I can offer advice, and certainly coach a lot of rugby-specific fitness. I am a qualified REPS Level 3 fitness coach, however I know my limitations and for those who want full nutrition or strength and conditioning support, I can recommend high quality coaches who would be able to help you.
Would you come to watch the player in action for their club/school/county etc to judge their progress?
If I can make it work with my schedule then it can be really useful to see the player in a competitive game-environment. I have done this on numerous occasions before. Depending on the location, I may just ask for you to cover my travel expenses.
I haven't decided yet, but would like more information - what can I do?
There is no pressure to decide, nor does there have to be a long-term commitment. Feel free to email or call me to talk through what you are looking for and we could set up an introductory session to see if it is something you'd wish to proceed with.